Letcher Co. to Honor Native Giant

Letcher County native Martin Van Buren Bates and his wife, Anna, were known as the "Love Giants" after they married in 1871. His was reported to be as tall as 7-foot-11, and some accounts said she was 8-foot-1.

Patty May Brashear & Nancy Wright Bays Collection

Martin Van Buren Bates was 7 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed more than 500 pounds by some accounts. Now, 92 years after his death, his Letcher County birthplace wants to honor him in a way that befits his stature in county history and his nickname, the Kentucky River Giant. Bates served a noteworthy stint in the Civil War as a Confederate captain before marrying a woman taller than he was. Because of their size, they became international celebrities in the 1800s, traveling as part of a circus.